Deceptions
by Jenova2005
Summary: **IMPORTANT** I started this story in 2005 and sadly had to put it on hold due to events in my life. It's always been in the back of my mind, begging to be written properly. So here I am! To read the new version, please go to / gypsyraeyven
1. The Note

Hermione dropped the folded piece of pastel blue paper into Harry's lap as she passed behind him to take her seat at the Gryffindor breakfast table.

"From Cho," she explained at Harry's questioning look. She reached for the jug of water and poured herself a glass as he dropped his knife and fork onto his plate of half-eaten bacon, eggs and beans and unfolded the note.

Ron looked across at Hermione with an amused expression. "How long have you been best friends with Cho Chang then?" he mumbled, through a mouthful of porridge.

"I'm not," she replied dryly. "She just accosted me at the door and literally begged me to give that to Harry."

Ron swallowed hard, unfortunately the wrong way and almost choked. He grabbed the water jug from Hermione's hands, spilling half of it on the table.

"Did you read it?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye, after gulping down the remainder of the water.

Hermione gave him her best withering look, while trying to mop the table with a handful of napkins.

"Only joking!" he laughed, holding his hands up in defence. He returned to his porridge.

Hermione cast a sidelong glance at Harry. He had a little smile on his face as he read.

She couldn't stop a smile from forming on her own face. She hadn't read it, of course not.

But she had a pretty good idea what was in the note.

The Winter's Ball, which had been announced at the start of term two weeks ago, was all anyone was talking about at the moment, and yesterday, in the library, she had overheard Cho telling a group of her friends that she was going to ask Harry to be her partner.

Although Hermione didn't like Cho that much, she knew Harry did and was happy for him. He deserved something good to happen for a change.

She pinched a slice of bacon off Harry's plate and sighed inwardly. Opposite her, Ron was throwing furtive glances at a furiously blushing Loony Luna Lovegood, a few seats down on the Ravenclaw table.

With things seemingly looking up for both Harry and Ron in the romance department, Hermione was beginning to feel a little left out.

_Don't be silly_, she berated herself sternly, for what seemed like the millionth time. _I don't have time for things like that now, not with all that studying ahead of me..._

The three friends were now in their 6th year, and after the events of the previous year, Hermione had set her heart on becoming an Auror. The remaining two years were going to be difficult, and she certainly wasn't going to have time for boys!

With Hermione deep in thought, Ron winking at Luna, and Harry absorbed in Cho's note, no one noticed a tall figure approach and peer over Harry's shoulder.

Before anyone could react, a smirking Draco Malfoy had snatched the note from Harry's fingers and was waving it over his head.

"Hey look at this...Harry Potter has a girlfriend!"

"Ooooh!" sniggered Crabbe and Goyle who, predictably, were stood just behind Draco. A few people nearby turned to stare.

Harry was on his feet in an instant, his chair toppling over. "Give it back Malfoy," he said through clenched teeth.

Draco's smirk grew. "Let's see..." He skimmed the note quickly. "Listen to this everyone." He adopted a falsely high girly voice and pretended to read. "Harry, oh Harry. I love you so much...please be mine forever and ever..."

"Give it back, or..." Harry reiterated in a threatening tone.

"Or what?" Draco raised an eyebrow. Hermione pulled Harry back before he had time to complete his forward lunge and grab Draco's collar.

"Pack it in Malfoy," she demanded, "Give it back."

Draco glanced at her briefly, his cold grey eyes meeting her flashing brown ones. "Hush Mudblood," he hissed, then turned back to the note.

"And who's the lucky girl?" he continued, ducking behind Crabbe and Goyle as both Harry_and_ Hermione went for him this time.

Cho, who had just taken her seat at the Ravenclaw table, looked around as Draco advanced towards her. Her eyes fell on the little piece of paper he brandished and she turned a deep shade of red that even outdid Luna.

Draco put his hand on Cho's back. She flinched.

"Why, it's none other than Cho Chang!" he announced. "Glad to see you've finally put poor Cedric's death behind you…"

Hermione extricated herself from Goyle's grasp moments before Harry pulled free of Crabbe.

"That was out of order Malfoy," she cried, marching up to him.

By now the whole of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables were watching, and a few Slytherins had come across to watch too.

Cho flew out of her seat and pushed past Hermione and Harry, who tried in vain to stop her.

Harry glared at Draco, then raced after Cho.

"I really think you should be committed to St Mungo's," Draco called after her. He laughed. "You can keep Longbottom's parents company," he added as a sideswipe to the chubby boy seated at the Gryffindor table.

Neville glowered at him and grabbed his belongings, following Harry and Cho from the Great Hall.

Hermione reached to snatch the note from Draco's fingers while he was distracted but he was too quick.

"Ah ah ah. Not so fast Granger. If you want it, you'll have to ask nicely."

Hermione gritted her teeth. "Give it back Malfoy."

Draco frowned. "That's not good enough." His frown melted into a grin. "Try harder…"

"Leave him," Ron said to her. "He isn't worth it."

But Hermione wasn't the type to back down, especially with so many people watching. She narrowed her eyes dangerously.

Draco winked at her. "You're really quite attractive when you get mad," he declared arrogantly. Then he wrinkled his nose. "For a filthy Mudblood that is..."

Hermione had had enough.

Draco held the note higher as she grabbed for it, leaning back so it was out of her reach. But Hermione was determined not to be outdone.

She set her jaw firmly and pressed her body against Draco's, stretching up over his shoulder. Draco chuckled as her fingers closed over his.

She tugged hard at the note but he wouldn't release it.

Her face was inches from his. She glared into his eyes. "Let go, damn you."

He chuckled again, a deep, low rumble that Hermione felt vibrate through her.

"Get in there Malfoy!" someone shouted, to much hilarity.

Draco shifted his weight deliberately, so that his body moved against hers. "All you had to do…" he paused to push her hair back, then whispered in her ear, "…was say please..."

He relinquished his hold on the note and Hermione stumbled away from him.

Her face burning, she scurried from the Great Hall, Draco Malfoy's laughter ringing in her ears...

* * *

The hall doors slammed behind her and she leant back against them for a second to recompose herself.

She felt so mortified. She covered her face with her hands.

But more than that, she was furious with him for humiliating her that way.

And how dare he say those things to Neville and Cho.

Harry...where was he?

She stepped away from the doors lest anyone should open them and embarrass her further by causing her to fall on her backside.

Where would Cho have gone? She guessed at the Ravenclaw common room.

Before she could take more than a couple of steps in that direction though, Ron and Luna came hurrying from the hall.

"Hermione!" Ron called.

She turned as they approached.

"Are you...ok?" Ron looked concerned.

Hermione forced a smile. "Of course I am. Why shouldn't I be?"

Ron glanced doubtfully at Luna, who shrugged. "It's just, you know…" he continued, "…that little scene in there, with Malfoy. He went too far."

Hermione brushed it away as nonchalantly as she could manage. "Don't worry about me. It takes more than that nasty little ferret to bother me."

Ron opened his mouth but Hermione didn't want to discuss it any further. "I'm going to find Harry, give him this back." She held the note up. "I'll see you later."

* * *

Half an hour later, she finally found him. He was curled up in an armchair in the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione knelt beside him and gave him the note. He took it in silence.

"How's Cho?" she asked gently.

Harry frowned. "How do you think, after what Malfoy said to her?" Then he sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you."

"That's ok."

Harry looked down at the note. "Cho asked me to go to the ball with her."

Hermione smiled. "That's great."

"But now she says it was a mistake and that she doesn't want people to think she's forgotten Cedric so easily."

"But that was nearlytwo years ago!" Hermione exclaimed. "No one will think badly of her for wanting to move on after so long."

Harry shrugged. "Malfoy does."

"Yes, but we know he's only saying that because he enjoys hurting people."

"Try telling Cho that…"

There was a long silence.

"Anyway, thanks for getting this back." Harry tucked the note into a pocket.

Hermione shook her head. "Someone needs to do something about Malfoy." Reluctantly, she told Harry what had happened after he left the Great Hall. It would be all over the school by tomorrow anyway.

His face was as dark as a thundercloud by the time she finished. "He needs to be brought down a peg or two, taught a lesson he'll never forget," he fumed.

Hermione nodded thoughtfully.

"Do you have a plan?" Harry asked, recognising that look on her face.

She smiled. Harry knew her too well.

"No, not yet." Her smile spread into a grin.

"But leave it with me. I'm sure I can come up with something…"


	2. The Snake & The Lion

**CHAPTER 2; THE SNAKE & THE LION**

****

Hermione's day was getting worse.

Her first lesson was History of Magic, with Professor Binns.

Even she found his monotonous droning unbearably dull, so it would be a good opportunity to dream up ways of dealing with Malfoy. Something that was long overdue.

However, it seemed her classmates had other ideas.

Before she'd even had chance to sit down and unpack her books, Lavender Brown appeared before her.

"Is it true?" she asked, wide-eyed.

Hermione frowned at her. "Is what true?"

"About you and Draco Malfoy?"

Hermione didn't like having her name tied to Malfoy's in such a way. "That depends what you're talking about," she replied tersely.

Lavender appeared uncomfortable saying it…but she did anyway. "That you and he kissed in the Great Hall at breakfast."

Hermione's jaw dropped. The Hogwarts rumour mill was in overdrive apparently. "Weren't you there?"

Lavender shook her head. "I had to see Madam Pomfrey about my headache. So is it true then?"

"Who told you that?"

Lavender glanced briefly at Parvati Patil but didn't answer.

"Well, what exactly were you told?" Hermione asked, darting a glare at Parvati who hastily looked the other way.

"That you and Draco were arguing over something and next thing he was kissing you." Lavender was looking at her expectantly.

Hermione noticed that almost everyone in the room was listening to them with interest. "What do you think?" she snapped irritably.

Honestly, didn't they know her? Did they seriously think she would kiss any Slytherin at all, never mind Mudblood-hating pureblood Draco Malfoy, possibly the person she loathed most in the world.

It was ludicrous.

Unfortunately, Lavender took her answer the wrong way. Her eyes were almost popping out of her head as she caught Parvati's eye and nodded.

"No, wait a minute!" Hermione tried to grab Lavender's arm but the blonde girl hurried back to her seat just as Professor Binns floated through the door.

Ron and Harry were close behind, entering through the more conventional way of opening the door. Both were panting after a sprint back to their dormitory to get their assignments.

Hermione dropped into her seat with a sigh, conscious of the whispers all around her and the sneaky looks in her direction.

Harry and Ron took their seats next to her and tried to get her attention but she ignored them.

She really didn't feel like talking to anyone right now.

It felt like the lesson would never end.

When it did, Hermione dashed out before anyone could intercept her. She needed a few minutes on her own.

She raced up to the girls' bathroom on the second floor.

Although it had been restored to full working order after the events of their second year at Hogwarts, hardly anybody used it because of Moaning Myrtle's presence.

Thankfully, Moaning Myrtle was nowhere in sight when Hermione entered.

She slammed into one of the cubicles and sat on the edge of the toilet bowl, her head in her hands.

What a mess.

And it was all her own fault. All because she was too damn proud to back down when Malfoy had challenged her.

She knew this wasn't going to go away easily. The idea of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy in a clinch was a big deal.

Even so, Hermione found herself stunned that people who knew her could believe she would do such a thing.

And Parvati Patil had been in the Great Hall when it supposedly happened. Why was she telling Lavender Brown a complete pack of lies when she surely knew the truth?

But Hermione already knew the answer.

Because it was more interesting to hear that she and Malfoy had argued and kissed, than just simply argued.

The school was full of wannabe Rita Skeeters' it seemed.

A familiar watery giggle came from the adjacent cubicle.

Hermione groaned and grabbed her bag, scooting out of the bathroom just as Moaning Myrtle floated up the u-bend.

Before the door slammed shut behind her, she heard Myrtle call after her; 'So little miss goody goody has fallen off her pedestal…'

Harry and Ron were waiting for her outside the Charms classroom.

Harry gazed at her in concern as she approached. "You ok?" he asked.

She nodded and smiled, stepping aside as a group of Hufflepuff boys passed by. They stared at Hermione with open humour, and as they walked away they started hissing.

Hermione rolled her eyes. She'd had to endure people hissing at her like a snake all the way down the corridor.

Ron made to move after them but she stopped him. "Don't worry about it. If the worst I get is a few people making Slytherin snake noises at me, I can handle that."

She smiled again, with more conviction. "Come on, let's get inside."

The Charms class passed without much incident, unless you counted Professor Flitwick being planted upside down in the waste bin by one of Dean Thomas's errant _purgatio_ charms.

The three friends, Hermione somewhat reluctantly, made their way down to the Great Hall for lunch.

Hermione kept her eyes firmly on the plate of untouched food in front of her and refused to look at anyone except Harry, Ron, and Neville.

Nevertheless, she could feel the weight of so many pairs of eyes on her.

Draco Malfoy was nowhere in sight. She wondered if he had been getting the same kind of treatment. She doubted it very much. Not to his face anyway. People would be too scared of the repercussions.

It was at this point she suddenly became aware of Harry nudging her, and Neville hissing her name.

She gazed at them vacantly. Ron's eyes were bulging at her.

"What?" she asked.

Neville pointed at her robes. "Look!"

Hermione looked. And looked a bit harder. She shook her head. "What am I-"

And then she noticed it.

She grabbed a handful of her robes and peered in disbelief at the house crest on it.

Wrapped around the body of the golden Gryffindor lion was an evil-looking Slytherin serpent.

She stared at it in horror.

Harry leaned across. "It looks like a simple charm," he said. "I'm sure one of the professors can remove it."

"Who did it?" wondered Neville.

Ron found his voice again. "Could've been anyone," he murmured, watching the snake writhe almost provocatively.

"We'll leave early and find Flitwick. He'll get rid of it," Harry reassured Hermione.

But to their surprise, Hermione shook her head. "No."

"Why not?" Neville asked.

"Because I'm fed up already. I'm just going to ignore it all. If nobody gets a reaction out of me, they'll soon get bored and find something else to talk about." She nodded firmly.

Harry glanced sceptically at Ron, who shrugged, but they let the matter drop.

Hermione spent the rest of lunch chewing resolutely on a plate of chicken sandwiches.

* * *

Her breaking point came after lunch.

Her first lesson was Potions. Harry and Ron had popped back to Gryffindor tower to collect more forgotten essays, so she went down to the dungeons where Snape's classroom was on her own.

She had to pass the Slytherin common room on the way. A group of 2nd year Slytherins were stood outside.

They waited as she walked by. Then as soon as she had her back to them, there was an array of kissing noises that followed her down to the Potions classroom door.

She sighed.

But what she didn't expect was the scene that greeted her when she walked in.

She stopped in her tracks and stared at the blackboard.

Someone had written, in what looked like permanent chalk:

'When's the wedding, Malfoy and Granger?'

As if that wasn't bad enough, Draco bloody Malfoy entered the room immediately behind her.

Everyone assembled either giggled or burst into a chorus of wolf whistles. Hermione could feel her face flush.

Malfoy simply smirked and brushed past her, a little too closely for the amount of room there was.

This prompted another chorus of wolf whistles, intermingled with a few "Ooooohs!"

She found a seat as far from him as possible.

Harry and Ron joined her not long after, both of them staring at the blackboard.

Harry looked at her red face and wished he could clear the board to relieve a little of her embarrassment, but he knew he couldn't. It was Snape's own blend of permanent chalk, only he could remove it.

The class settled down as Snape swept in. His beady black eyes immediately settled on the blackboard.

Hermione resisted the urge to bury her head under her arms on the desk and stay that way until the end of the class.

Snape merely raised an eyebrow. "Would either Malfoy or his betrothed care to supply an answer before we begin?" he asked in his quiet, yet commanding, voice.

Everyone turned to look at Draco. He was sat beside an obviously fuming Pansy Parkinson.

He leant back with a smug grin on his face and said, "How about when Hagrid has a shave…he certainly isn't coming to our wedding until he does. Isn't that right sweetheart?"

Hermione couldn't believe it. She stared past Ron to Malfoy who grinned at her cockily.

He was actually getting a kick out of this.

Everyone else had collapsed into riotous laughter. Snape quietened them in his own inimitable style (a threat of two weeks detention and forty points from both Slytherin and Gryffindor).

He walked to the front of the class and, to Hermione's relief, cleared the board with a wave of his wand.

She was only half listening to Snape as he started the lesson.

So much for ignoring it and it would go away. No wonder the rumours had been flying…Draco Malfoy wasn't even denying them.

If anything, he was fuelling them!

* * *

When the lesson was over, Hermione asked Harry to take her bag to their final lesson of the day, Herbology.

He looked at her quizzically but nodded. "Sure."

"Thanks," she said over her shoulder. She was already weaving between the tables. People on their way to the door stopped and turned to watch.

Malfoy had his back to her but Pansy Parkinson saw her and scowled. Hermione ignored her. She cleared her throat. "Can I have a word with you?"

Draco looked over his shoulder. "You don't have to ask sweetheart." He winked at her.

"Outside," she said, through gritted teeth.

Pansy opened her mouth, more than likely to object, but Draco shoved her toward the door. "See you in Arithmancy," he said firmly.

At first, she didn't look like she was going to leave, but then she caught Draco's eye and turned sharply on her heel.

Hermione stalked out after her, and glared at all those hanging around to watch. One by one they reluctantly drifted away.

Malfoy was leaning against the wall, arms folded, watching her with a mildly amused expression.

When she turned to him, he grinned wickedly. "Couldn't wait to get me on your own, eh Granger?"

She glared at him. "What are you playing at Malfoy?"

He adopted an innocent expression. It looked completely out of place on his face. "I don't know what you're talking about sweetheart."

"And stop bloody calling me that!" Her temper was starting to rise. Damn him, he always knew what buttons to press.

As if reading her mind, he pushed away from the wall and approached her slowly.

She stood her ground despite the dangerous look in his eyes.

"I enjoy seeing you squirm, Granger…" he whispered.

Hermione held her breath. He reminded her of a wild beast that had it's prey cornered and was playing games with it before the kill.

Contempt laced his every word. "You represent everything I hate in a person, Mudblood or not," he continued, "and to know that I can make you suffer excites me." He was only a few inches from her.

He raised a hand and she backed away uncertainly. "Oh, get a grip, Granger," he muttered, irritated.

She watched as Malfoy reached for the house crest on her robes.

The charm was fading slightly but it was still obvious. He chuckled and stroked the embroidery with his thumb. It was such a gentle caress, not what she had expected at all.

And neither was what happened next.

"The snake…" Draco's voice had softened. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, "…and the lion…"

Hermione swallowed somewhat nervously.

"…inextricably entwined."

For a moment, their eyes were locked. A shiver ran down Hermione's spine at his words. She didn't like this.

"It will fade!" she hissed, pulling her robes from his touch.

He leered at her. "Maybe, Granger, but the lion will always have the shadow of the snake on its body." His eyes strayed over her slender figure.

She had to get away.

"Stop it Malfoy," she hissed. "Put an end to the rumours."

He smiled sweetly. "But why sweetheart? I'm enjoying myself."

"Im sure Pansy Parkinson can keep you amused if you're that desperate!" she spat, through clenched teeth.

"Granger…that wouldn't happen to be a note of jealousy I detect in your voice?" Draco grinned.

Hermione was visibly seething by now.

Then, too late, she noticed the satisfied look on his face.

In losing control, she'd given him exactly what he wanted. Again.

"Pansy has her uses…believe me." He turned away and strolled nonchalantly down the corridor.

"Damn you Malfoy," she yelled after him. "Just stop it!"


	3. Cucumbers, Fizzing Whizbees & Gargoyles

Hermione couldn't concentrate at all during Herbology. She couldn't get her mind off Draco Malfoy.

Not for lack of trying. The last person she wanted in her head was him.

Consequently, she finished the lesson sporting a comically sized white bandage on her thumb, the result of a bite from a Maybeak, a particularly nasty variety of carnivorous cucumber.

It had taken both Ron and Harry to prise it off, and in turn it had bitten Ron on the nose, which was now swollen to nearly twice its size, making him breathe with an audible rasp.

Madam Pomfrey had refused to do little other than clean the wounds and bandage them, or in Ron's case cover it with the tiniest of plasters, which only served to make him look more ridiculous. She claimed it would ensure they paid more attention in class in future.

Ron hadn't been happy, protesting that he'd only been helping Hermione.

He was still moaning to Harry now, as they made their way outside to enjoy the evening sunlight. Hermione followed, still lost in thought.

She kept asking herself the same question. How was she going to deal with Malfoy's games?

She knew that she couldn't stop the teasing and taunts from everyone else, and to her surprise she realised that it didn't really bother her anymore. What _did_ was him and his newfound way of getting under her skin. She didn't know how to react to it and he was taking advantage of that.

"Um, Hermione?" Ron's nasally voice broke into her musings. She blinked and realised with a start that she had almost walked right into Professor McGonagall.

"Sorry Professor," she mumbled, stepping back.

Professor McGonagall gave her a stern look and seemed to want to say something to her. But instead, she turned to Harry. "Professor Dumbledore requests your presence in his office, Mr Potter," she said in her no-nonsense voice. "Follow me." She walked briskly away.

Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione and shrugged, then trotted after her.

"Since when has McGonagall been Dumbledore's messenger?" Ron wondered aloud.

Hermione shook her head distractedly.

"What's up with you anyway?" Ron asked, examining his bulbous nose for the millionth time with his finger.

Hermione turned away from the retreating figures of Harry and McGonagall and continued walking. "I'm ok," she answered, not very convincingly.

Ron caught her up and stepped in front of her. "No you're not. What is it?" He peered at her closely. "Is it because of today?"

She nodded.

He cursed. "What's Malfoy up to? All that bloody sweetheart stuff…"

Hermione grunted. "It's his new 'tactic'. He knows getting nasty doesn't work with me, so he's being _nice_ instead." She spat out the word 'nice'. "Only problem is, it's working," she admitted.

"But why you? Why not me, or Harry?"

Hermione stared at Ron curiously. "You _want_ Malfoy to get up close and personal with you Ron?"

Ron went red. "No, of course not." He coughed. "No, I meant why has he singled you out? It's always been all three of us before."

Hermione's brow wrinkled. Despite all the thinking she'd done, that question hadn't actually occurred to her.

"Just ignore him," Ron advised, and then remembered who he was talking to.

Hermione looked up at him as she sat down on a tree stump near Hagrid's Hut.

He grinned. "Yeah, how stupid of me. As if you'd actually ignore him just because I told you to. I mean, you didn't this morning did you?"

Hermione couldn't help smiling. Ron sat on the grass beside her and for a while they chatted about other things, mainly what Dumbledore wanted with Harry.

It wasn't often anyone was summoned to his office, and when they were it was usually for something important.

By the time they got up again to leave, they'd exhausted just about every possibility, from Harry being made a prefect, to a disguised Voldemort shuffling around in Dumbledore's aging body and needing somebody to go to Hogsmeade to buy him some Fizzing Whizzbees.

They laughed long and hard over that last one.

But as they were returning to the Great Hall for a light supper, the conversation revolved back to Draco Malfoy.

Hermione spotted him sat at the Slytherin table, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle and surrounded by a host of fellow Slytherins from all years. They were all laughing at something Malfoy had said, and Hermione had a sinking feeling it was something about her.

Ron bumped into her from behind as she halted in the doorway, and banged his nose on the back of her head. "When did you get so bloody tall?" he asked between curses. He clutched at his face.

As if it wasn't bad enough, his nose had now started to bleed. He tried to pinch it shut but it was too swollen and sore. "I'm going back to Madam Pomfrey, and this time I'm not leaving until she does something," he grumbled.

He threw a departing glance towards Malfoy. "You know, I can't see why you don't just play him at his own game," he said before disappearing in the direction of the hospital wing.

Hermione watched him go with a thoughtful expression on her face. She stepped out of the doorway so a couple of Hufflepuff girls could pass.

Play him at his own game?

A slow grin spread across her face. Maybe that wasn't as absurd as it sounded.

* * *

There was still no sign of Harry over an hour later.

Hermione was getting impatient. She'd been sat in the Gryffindor common room waiting for him. She wanted to see what he thought of Ron's suggestion.

Ron had returned from his trip to the hospital wing looking as green as the cucumber that had bit him.

Madam Pomfrey had cleaned his nosebleed then given him one of her more potent medicines, apparently to negate any poison remaining from the plant. She'd insisted he didn't need it, that it's extremely rare for anyone to be allergic to Maybeak juice, but Ron had been adamant.

How he'd regretted that.

He had slinked off to bed accompanied by a big bowl, hoping that slugs weren't going to make an appearance any time soon.

Hermione gazed around the room. Neville had been sat in the armchair by the empty fireplace for the past forty-five minutes, clutching his remembrall and trying desperately to remember whatever it was he had forgotten.

Seamus and Dean were huddled around a table, papers spread out in front of them. Somehow, she knew it wasn't any last minute assignment they were doing.

Parvati and Lavender were stood beside them, blocking her view somewhat, and giggling. She knew she was becoming paranoid but again she had the unshakable feeling it was something to do with her.

_Silly_, she berated herself. _Why would they do it right under your nose if it was?_

But then they all burst into laughter and Hermione caught Dean's sly glance at her.

She got up in irritation and stomped over to the portrait. Was it just her or did the Fat Lady appear to be smirking at her too?

It was a relief when she found herself alone on the landing.

She headed up the stairs towards Dumbledore's office, in search of Harry. She didn't know what she hoped to achieve, and sure enough the stone gargoyle that stood outside remained impassive to her.

She even tried guessing the password a few times, but it could have been anything – Dumbledore changed it every day – so eventually she gave up.

She sighed with exasperation. Had she really expected the statue to let her in? She shook her head. This business with Malfoy was starting to cloud her judgement.

Just as she was about to leave and retrace her steps, she heard voices. She looked around wildly but there was nowhere to hide. She had no choice but to face them.

Shortly, McGonagall and Cornelius Fudge rounded the corner. McGonagall's eyebrows rose when she saw Hermione. "Yes Miss Granger? What can we do for you?"

Fudge acknowledged Hermione's polite 'Good evening' with a nod, but he seemed impatient to be off so she drew a deep breath and asked, "Where's Harry?"

Professor McGonagall's eyes narrowed. "That, young lady, is of no concern to you." She glanced at Fudge before continuing. "However, suffice it to say he has left the school for the evening and will be back tomorrow morning."

Hermione opened her mouth to ask where he had gone but McGonagall suggested firmly that she should return to Gryffindor tower before curfew. With that, she followed Fudge past the gargoyle and up the stairs, the hideous stone creature closing behind them.

Hermione was puzzled. Why would Harry be whisked away like that? Where had he gone?

And what had the Ministry of Magic got to do with it?

She dawdled back to the stairs.

Now she had two things on her mind.

* * *

Her footsteps echoed through the deserted corridors on the way down.

As she neared Gryffindor tower, she convinced herself that she saw movements in the shadows.

She couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

She put it down to Peeves the poltergeist, or one of the more salubrious ghosts that roamed the school, but all the same she quickened her pace.

Nevertheless, she was caught completely off guard when someone grabbed her from behind just as she was about to give the password to the Fat Lady.

Her assailant pulled her backwards down a small side corridor and hauled her into a store cupboard.

She was astounded when she turned around to find Pansy Parkinson stood against the door, glaring at her.

"I've been waiting for you to return," she said. "I don't know what you think you're doing Granger but it stops right now."

"What does?" Hermione asked, her head still whirling.

"Don't play dumb with me. You know what I'm talking about."

After the day she'd had, Hermione wasn't in the mood for this. "Actually, I_don't_ know what you're talking about. Now if you don't mind…" She made a move for the door but was pushed back roughly. Pansy's slight stature belied her strength.

"I'm not finished with you yet," Pansy hissed.

Hermione almost laughed. Who did Parkinson think she was?

"You just stay away from Draco, got that?"

Now Hermione did laugh. She might have known.

Pansy glowered, her fists clenched. "I mean it Granger. If I see you encouraging him like you did today, I'll make sure you regret it." She whipped around and yanked the door open.

Hermione watched her go, open-mouthed. 'Encouraging him?'

The door slammed shut in a cloud of dust. Hermione sneezed.

'What was all that about!' she wondered.


	4. Unwelcome News

Hermione and Ron were in the Great Hall the following morning, just sitting down to breakfast, when Harry returned.

By now, it was all over the school that Harry Potter had been whisked off mysteriously last night. Most people were convinced something had happened to him, probably at the hands of Voldemort, and that he wouldn't be seen ever again.

So his reappearance caused quite a stir.

He squeezed between chairs, fending off questions from all sides with noncommittal answers until he dropped into his seat next to Hermione. He looked utterly exhausted.

Ron opened his mouth but a kick under the table from Hermione made him change his mind. Wisely, he turned his attention back to his beans and sausage.

Hermione glared at Ron. She knew Harry would tell them in his own time. The last thing he needed was the two of them giving him an inquisition, judging by the expression on his face.

Hermione felt a flutter of fear as she surveyed him discreetly.

Unless she was mistaken, which was rare, the rumours that had been flying around Hogwarts overnight weren't entirely off the mark.

This_did _have something to do with Voldemort.

Eventually Harry pushed away his untouched plate of egg on toast. He took his glasses off and ran a hand over his face.

Hermione's eyes caught his.

He sighed. "It's not good."

That was all he said.

Hermione looked down at her own plate, her appetite slipping away. Ron slyly slid Harry's plate towards him and deposited the toast and egg onto his own.

"Voldemort?" Hermione whispered.

"Who else?" Harry mumbled back. He looked around at the busy Gryffindor table. "I can't talk here."

Hermione nodded. "We'll talk outside, down by the lake?"

Harry yawned wearily. "Ok, but at lunchtime. I need to get some sleep more than I need breakfast. Don't think I could eat anyway, even if I_was _hungry."

He stood but before he had chance to move away from the table, a tremendous flapping noise, accompanied by a chorus of hoots hit them.

The owls delivering the morning post swept down from overhead, searching for the recipients of their mail.

Hermione's eyes opened wide, almost as wide as Ron's did. "There are so many!" she gasped. The roof of the Great Hall, which had been depicting a cloudless blue sky, was almost obscured by them.

They watched as the owls dropped letters and a few parcels into outstretched hands. It appeared every person in the room must have received mail.

Hermione looked eagerly for an owl aimed at her.

Ron's little Pigwidgeon glided down and deposited a cream envelope, with fancy gold scroll writing on the front, into Ron's cup of tea. He picked the dripping envelope out just as Pigwidgeon was bowled aside by Hedwig.

Harry's owl landed on his shoulder and hooted forlornly at him, as if picking up on his mood. The envelope she carried was also cream with gold lettering.

Hermione glanced around. Seamus, Dean, and Neville all had one too, and so did Lavender and Parvati. Looking behind her at the Ravenclaw table it seemed they all had one too.

Why was she the only one not to receive one?

She frowned. _Not quite the only one_, she amended as she saw an indignant looking Draco Malfoy also peering for an owl, empty handed.

She noted how Dean, Seamus, Lavender and Parvati were too busy trying not to giggle to open their envelopes. She recalled the previous evening, when she'd felt sure they were up to something.

Ron's open-mouthed expression on opening his, and his swift look at her confirmed her suspicions.

She held out her hand in a no nonsense manner. Ron knew better than to argue. He placed the contents of the envelope in her palm.

It was a matching cream card with two rings illustrated on the cover, one in silver with a majestic golden lion engraved around the band and the other in gold, with a silver serpent.

Hermione groaned.

The noise level went up as others opened their envelopes to the same.

With trepidation, she opened the card. In the same fancy gold script, it read:

**It is with regret that we inform you of the intended betrothal of**

_**Mr Draco **(ferret-face) **Malfoy**_

**_and_**

_the lovely **Miss Hermione Granger**_

**The ceremony will take place when hell freezes over**

**(if Gryffindor House has anything to do with it)**

**In the meantime, join with us in hoping that Hermione gets well soon**

Hermione clutched the card, her fingertips turning white. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Harry reacted first. He simply tore his up and scattered the pieces over the table in disgust before leaving.

Hermione stared at the pieces, one clearly still showing the serpent ring. Slowly, an idea began to form in her mind. She waved the card in her hand at Ron. "May I?"

Ron shrugged. "Be my guest."

She stood and sidled down between the tables to where Dean and Seamus sat, trying and failing to control their laughter. They soon sobered up, however, when they saw her steaming towards them.

Hermione in a bad temper was not something to be laughed at.

She dropped the card on the table between them and snatched out her wand. Tapping first the lion ring then Dean's left hand, followed by the serpent ring and Seamus's right hand, she muttered a lilting incantation. Both boys were horrified as their bewitched hands flew to the other boy's bewitched hand and grasped it tightly.

Hermione grinned with smug satisfaction. "Enjoy your day with each other."

Dean jumped up. Unfortunately for him Seamus didn't, and the force that held their hands together brought him back to his seat with a thump. "Hermione," he called.

Hermione ignored him as she walked away.

"We can't stay like this all day!" he tried again.

"Should have thought about that before," she said, looking back over her shoulder.

She left Ron to finish Harry's breakfast, and made for the door. Her intention was to head back to her dormitory and add a little more to her Transfiguration essay before lessons started.

But as she left the Hall, Draco Malfoy stepped in front of her. She only just avoided bumping into him.

He smiled snidely. "Don't worry, I won't bite."

Hermione glowered at him. "What do you want Malfoy?"

He peered over her shoulder into the Great Hall. Neville Longbottom was waving his wand haphazardly over Dean Thomas's and Seamus Finnigan's conjoined hands, while they tried desperately to get away from him. "I take it they were responsible for the sudden increase in owl activity this morning?"

Hermione pursed her lips impatiently. "I dealt with them."

Draco smirked down at her. "So I see."

"If that's all…" Hermione moved around him to continue up to Gryffindor tower, but he grabbed her wrist as she went past. She snatched free of his hold.

"What do you want from me Malfoy?" She regretted her choice of words the moment they left her lips.

His eyes glittered dangerously as he moved closer to her. Hermione stepped backwards involuntarily and immediately cursed herself for that little sign of uncertainty in front of the gathering crowd.

"What's the matter sweetheart?" he leered. "Would you rather I kept my distance until after we're married?"

She heard some sniggers behind her that faded as she turned around. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Ron leaving the Hall. He gave her a wink, urging her on silently.

When she turned back, Malfoy was watching her with a derogatory look on his face.

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. She could do this.

She smiled up at him, a sugary sweet smile. "Why are you in such a hurry? Not getting frustrated surely?" She touched a hand to his cheek.

His face was a picture._Oh, if only Colin Creevey were around, _she thought.

"Better set a date soon then, hadn't you?" And with that she sauntered over to join Ron, who gave her a big thumbs up.

Her composure crumbled at that precise moment. What had she done! And in front of so many! She clung to Ron's arm for fear her legs would give way, and they hastened up the stairs, giggling softly, leaving a stunned Draco Malfoy staring after them, amid an equally stunned crowd.

* * *

Harry slept until midday.

Ron and Hermione had foregone their lunch and were waiting for him down by the lake as arranged, in the spot where they always met when they wanted to talk in private. The same spot where Harry's father, James, used to meet his own friends during his time at Hogwarts.

The two watched Harry approach, slowly and with the air of someone with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Hermione patted the grass next to her and Harry sank down with an audible sigh.

For a long time no one spoke.

The birds whistled and chirruped merrily in the trees and a large cabbage white fluttered by, hotly pursued by a furiously buzzing bumblebee. Hermione swatted it away casually.

And then, in the middle of all that calm and tranquillity, Harry uttered the darkest words anyone in the wizarding community would ever hear.

"Voldemort's making his move."

Ron's face instantly paled. Hermione was all attention. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Exactly what I said. Voldemort's making his move." Harry's calm controlled voice made the moment seem that much more surreal.

Hermione looked at Ron. Ron's mouth was hanging open, aghast.

"Making his move?" she repeated, unsure of what she was hearing.

Harry nodded resignedly. "According to Snape, Voldemort has started gathering his Death Eaters from across the continent…across the world in some cases."

Hermione's face grew progressively darker as she listened.

"And the first place he intends to target is…" Harry broke off and looked over his shoulder, at the hauntingly jagged outline of Hogwarts, silhouetted by the dazzling sun.

Hermione followed his gaze. "No…" she whispered.

Harry shrugged. "It makes sense," he said, in a matter of fact voice. "So much of Voldemort is tied to this school. To him it must symbolise everything he used to be. The Tom Riddle whose life he hated." He looked down at his hands, clenched in his lap. "And it must also symbolise why he isn't the all-conquering Voldemort that he wants to be."

Hermione swallowed. "Because of you…because you're here."

It wasn't a question, and Harry didn't answer.

Hermione looked around her, at the other students mingling around, laughing and joking with each other. And at Hagrid, striding away from them towards his hut with a bunch of wriggling carrots grasped in one hand. Tears pricked her eyes.

"What's Dumbledore going to do?" Ron's voice squeaked in a way it hadn't since it had broken three years ago. His freckles stood out against his pale face.

Harry shifted uneasily. "Well, he says that as long as we have eyes on Voldemort, and can find out what his plans are, there's no need to do anything."

"What?" Ron squeaked again. "He's just going to sit back and let it happen!"

"Of course he isn't," Hermione snapped at him. Ron's gaze turned to her. His mouth was opening and closing in a manner reminiscent of a goldfish. She studied Harry's face expectantly.

"Dumbledore believes that while Voldemort remains unaware of our insight into his plans," Harry continued, "the better the position we're in."

Ron didn't look reassured.

"He's not even going to tighten security?" Hermione asked.

Harry took a deep breath, thinking his next words through carefully. "Apparently that wouldn't make much difference."

Hermione frowned at him.

"It appears that Hogwarts isn't the invincible fortress that we all thought," he explained. "The truth is that ever since Voldemort regained his physical form, he's been capable of penetrating Hogwarts. That was why it was so imperative that the Order increased its operations. Hogwarts has been living on borrowed time."

Harry was surprised Ron didn't keel over. There was no colour in his face at all now, even his freckles had gone. His eyes were blank as they stared away into the distance.

Hermione just looked plain stunned. "So you're saying that Voldemort could have…" She faltered. "At any time?"

"Theoretically, yes."

"Why didn't he?"

Harry shook his head. "Who knows? Snape thinks it's because he wanted to test his influence again first. To see how many of his Death Eaters remained loyal to him. Not even Voldemort likes to work alone."

Hermione nodded grimly. "That would make sense."

There was another extended silence. Then Hermione whispered, "So this is it. The second war…"

Harry and Hermione's eyes met. "You know what this means, don't you?" he breathed.

Hermione's eyes were wide, and shone with unshed tears. "You…and Voldemort…will fulfil the prophecy."

Harry nodded solemnly. "And speaking of the prophecy," he continued, "it wasn't complete."

Confusion crossed Hermione's face. "I don't understand…"

"Dumbledore didn't show me the whole of his memory of what Trelawney said that day. He withheld a part of it."

"Why?"

"Because he didn't think I was ready to hear it. He showed me the entire memory last night."

"Why now? Because of Voldemort?"

"Yes."

"And…?"

Harry's green eyes bore into hers.

"I can't defeat Voldemort, not alone."


	5. Normality

"If that's some kind of joke Harry, it isn't at all funny."

Harry gazed at Hermione with a sombre expression. "Do I look like I'm joking?"

Ron blinked in bewilderment. "What do you mean, you can't defeat Voldemort alone?" he asked, faintly.

Harry ran his hands through his already messy hair. He looked as if he'd been dragged backwards through the Forbidden Forest by Grawp. "Voldemort's power is immense," he began.

"Tell us something we don't know," Ron muttered.

"Hush!" Hermione hissed.

Harry continued, regardless of the interruption. "Only a wizard of equal, or indeed greater, power can kill him."

"And he marked you as that wizard," Hermione broke in. "The prophecy confirmed that." She frowned. "How could it have been wrong? I don't understand."

"That's got to be a first," Ron quipped, his sarcasm coming back quicker than his colour.

Hermione kicked him with her foot, but not too hard. She knew this was just his way of dealing with it.

Harry hesitated, trying to find a simpler way of explaining. He decided to recount what Dumbledore had told him the night before.

_Harry stared in disbelief at Dumbledore. Had he heard him right?_

_He shifted uncomfortably, trying to ignore the oppressive presence of Snape behind him. He could almost feel the Potions teacher's eyes on his back, burning into him. It made his skin crawl._

_Next to Snape stood Cornelius Fudge. _Now what's he here for? _Harry wondered._

_"What do you mean, Professor? Are you saying that everything you've told me – all that stuff about how one day I have to kill Voldemort – is a lie?"_

_"Not a lie, no."_

_"Then what?"_

_"I'm afraid I haven't been entirely open with you, Mr Potter," Dumbledore began._

_Harry knew he should have seen this coming. "What, again Professor?"_

_He was thoroughly fed up of Dumbledore's secrets by now._

_Dumbledore gave him a contrite smile. "I only have your best interests at heart. As I have told you before, if I keep something from you it is because you aren't ready to know." He began to pace slowly. "Unfortunately, as you have just heard, my hand has been forced in this matter."_

_Harry was still awaiting an answer to his initial question. "What do you mean, Professor?" he asked again. "Why can't I defeat Voldemort?"_

_"You can't defeat him alone," Dumbledore corrected._

_Harry was becoming more confused the more Dumbledore tried to explain._

_"You are already aware that Voldemort accidentally transferred some of his powers to you as a result of his failed attempt to kill you when you were a baby."_

_Harry remembered the conversation he and Dumbledore had shared in his 2nd year at Hogwarts, shortly after his defeat of Tom Riddle and the basilisk. He nodded._

_"When a witch or wizard casts Avada Kedavra they pour much of their power into it. With repeated use over a short period of time, it depletes energy, requiring greater power each time. Immediately prior to his attack on you-" Dumbledore glanced at Harry. "-Voldemort had to defeat two of the strongest Aurors there has ever been."_

_Harry swallowed the lump in his throat that formed at the mention of his parents._

_"His doubtless exhaustion, combined with the protection your mother blessed you with, is the reason you live now."_

_Harry knew all this. Why was Dumbledore going over it all again? Dragging up such painful memories…_

_"For a brief moment, when Avada Kedavra strikes the victim it creates a link back to the caster. Powers are inevitably transferred to the victim, but as their death is always guaranteed, it isn't considered a problem. You were the exception to that rule."_

_"With respect, Professor, this is basic knowledge of magic. Everyone knows this. What is the relevance to me not being able to kill Voldemort?"_

_"Professor Dumbledore is just about to explain that, aren't you Albus?" Cornelius Fudge sounded almost as impatient as Harry._

_Dumbledore smiled sedately at him. "Indeed, Cornelius, indeed."_

_He turned to Harry. "To put it simply, you have some of Voldemort's powers in you. You will inevitably draw upon them when you cast Avada Kedavra. But, because they are Voldemort's powers, he has a natural defence against them. It will take immense concentration and strength of mind to overcome those defences, something which will leave you completely vulnerable to Voldemort's magic."_

_He paused. "That, alone, would cause enough problems."_

_Harry frowned. "There's more?"_

_Dumbledore sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. Likewise, Voldemort has a part of you in him. Your blood runs through his veins as a result of his resurrection ceremony two years ago. Albeit a tiny amount, and whilst it offers him no further protection from your spells, the moment the link between your Avada Kedavra spell and Voldemort himself is established, he will have a certain amount of control over your mind, enough to influence your actions if not more. Therefore, facing him alone would be suicidal._

_He gave Harry a minute or two to digest all this before continuing._

_"Last year, I showed you my memory of the prophecy Sybill Trelawny made. However, there was a portion of the prophecy that I didn't show you. You would have seen it when the time came. Unfortunately, that time has arrived sooner than we anticipated."_

_He nodded to Snape, who took the Pensieve from its cabinet and placed it on Dumbledore's desk._

_Dumbledore peered at Harry. "This is the ending of your prophecy." He tapped his wand to his temple, withdrawing the silky threads of his memory, and then stirred it into the water._

_Harry leaned over and looked in. There was the revolving shape of Sybill Trelawny, draped in shawls as before, eyes bulging behind her thick glasses. Her voice was hoarse when she spoke._

_'To defeat this most challenging of foes, he must utilise the powers of an equal, one tainted with the blood of his black magic ancestry, a bearer of the mark of the Dark Lord himself…'_

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron frowned.

Harry shrugged. "Dumbledore said I would understand when I needed to."

"You think he knows?"

"I'm sure he does."

Hermione's eyes had glazed over. "Snape…" she whispered.

Harry looked at her sharply. "Are you seriously suggesting I may need Snape's help to defeat Voldemort?" he asked, incredulously.

Even Ron managed a deprecating snort.

Hermione glared at them both in exasperation. "I don't know! But he does fit the description, doesn't he? A black wizard... a former Death Eater who has the Dark Mark on his arm..."

Harry had to admit that she had a point. Not least of all because…

"Funny you should say that," he told her. "Snape is going to be teaching me extra Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons in my spare time."

"You're kidding!" Ron exclaimed. "After what happened with the Occlumency lessons?"

"I don't have much choice," Harry said. "Time's running out now, faster than it ever was before. If I don't have these extra lessons, I might not be prepared."

Ron and Hermione both studied him, Ron's face unreadable, Hermione's open sadness.

"That's not all. Last night I went with Dumbledore and Snape to Grimmauld Place. That's where Snape will teach me," he explained. "But that's not the only reason I'll be spending time there. Tonks and Moody are going to train me to become an Auror as quickly as possible."

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Dumbledore says I need to know as much as I can grasp in a short space of time. It's going to be something of a crash course. But the Ministry of Magic have approved it, given the circumstances. They want me to have passed my NEWTs and my Auror character and aptitude tests at the Ministry by the end of term."

"So… you won't be in school for the rest of term?" Ron looked downcast.

"Of course I will. Weren't you listening? Everything has to carry on as normal. We can't risk doing anything that would make Voldemort's Death Eaters suspect that we know what they're up to. If we did, it may cause Voldemort to act sooner. Didn't I just tell you that? I'll be doing all this extra studying in my spare time."

"How in Merlin's name do they expect you to do all that? You'll never fit it all in!" Hermione was appalled. "How can you possibly kill Voldemort if you're to tired tokeep your eyes open to see him!"

Harry couldn't help a small smile. Ron, however had something else on his mind.

"If you pass your NEWTs a year early, what will you do next year?"

Harry answered Hermione first. "Remember your Time Turner?"

"Oh…"

"So, I can be everywhere at once and no one will be any the wiser." Harry looked at Ron. "As for next year, if all goes as planned-"

Ron looked uncomfortable at that, and Hermione whispered, "It will."

"-if all goes as planned," Harry continued, "I won't be coming back. I'll start work for the Ministry in the summer."

Hermione picked at a blade of grass.

A couple of first years ran past not far away, chasing one of the wriggling carrots she'd seen Hagrid carrying before. Hagrid wasn't far behind, huffing and puffing. He raised a hand in their direction.

Hermione, Ron and Harry all waved back.

Everything seemed so normal.

A thought occurred to Hermione. "What about last night? It's all over the school how you just vanished and didn't resurface until this morning. Won't that attract suspicion?"

"That couldn't be helped. Everything happened so fast from the moment Snape told Dumbledore what Voldemort's planning." Harry shrugged. "I think Snape's handling it. He's going to let slip to the Slytherins that I had to go to St Mungo's to have a miscast Impediment Jinx lifted."

"Will they believe it?" Hermione asked, doubtfully. It didn't sound all that plausible to her.

"Coming from Snape they should…"

* * *

Lunch was almost over when the three friends made their way back into the school.

They wound their way through the crowd spilling out of the Great Hall, bumping into Dean and Seamus.

The two were still holding hands, and there wasn't any sign of the spell wearing off yet.

But neither seemed to mind. They had turned the whole thing into a huge joke, telling everyone it would be invitations to _their_ wedding they'd be receiving next.

Seamus even joked to Hermione how he'd make a far prettier bride than she would.

She chose to ignore that, although the temptation to actually bewitch Seamus's robes into a delicate peach wedding dress, complete with sheer veil and pretty flowers in his hair was almost too great.

She felt much better later when she heard from Neville how Seamus and Dean's predicament had led to an interesting little scene in the boys' bathroom.

As the trio approached the stairs, Crabbe and Goyle stepped out in front of them, blocking their way.

Hermione looked around. "Ok, so we've got the two parasites, where's the monkey they cling to?"

Right on cue, Draco Malfoy spoke up from behind them. "H-H-Hey P-P-P-Potter. Heard y-y-y-you had a little a-a-a-accident y-y-y-yesterday."

Snape had obviously done his job.

People that were close enough to hear, mainly Slytherins, all sniggered.

"Oh, here he is." Hermione turned to face Malfoy. He, however, was looking at Ron.

"You really are a disgrace to pureblood wizards, Weasley. You can't even cast a simple Impediment Jinx!"

Ron's jaw dropped indignantly. Hermione grabbed him before he could put his foot in it.

She shoved him and Harry through Crabbe and Goyle, who obligingly stepped aside.

"He was messing around!" Hermione hissed at Malfoy, trying to cover up any slip. "An accent on the wrong word, that was all. Anyone could have done it."

She made to follow Ron and Harry but Crabbe and Goyle blocked her way again.

She glared at them. They glared back.

Then she froze. Malfoy was right behind her.

His hands grabbed her wrists, holding them firmly behind her back. His lips brushed her ear very gently as he leaned around and whispered, "I know what you're up to Granger."

Her heart thumped wildly. Surely he couldn't mean…?

"That little display of 'affection' earlier," he continued. "Not very wise of you. Some advice… Never play the master at his own game."

Hermione breathed a silent sigh of relief. For a moment she thought he'd somehow found out about the whole Voldemort situation. Harry had gone a strange shade of grey, obviously thinking the same.

She shook her head at Ron, who looked set to tear Malfoy apart.

Once again, she and Malfoy were the centre of attention.

She tilted her chin to the right. Their lips were little more than an inch apart. "Don't fool yourself Malfoy." Her voice remained low and steady, despite his grip on her wrists tightening painfully. "The only thing you're master of are those two goons."

He scowled. "If you think-"

"Mr Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall's sharp voice carried over the murmurs of the gathering students as they watched the unfolding scene.

He didn't let go immediately. "You'll get yours, Mudblood," he warned, ominously. Then he released her, pushing her away from him as he did. Harry caught her.

Ron pointed a finger at Malfoy. "You leave her alone."

Malfoy laughed. "What's this Weasley? Surely you don't fancy your chances with her?"

McGonagall was approaching fast. Harry pulled Ron away. "Come on, let's get to class."

"Wait there, Miss Granger!" McGonagall called. She raised her voice, pointing out that anyone still here and not on their way to class risked losing their house 10 points each.

Everyone began to file away, talking in quiet voices and looking at Hermione and Malfoy with interest.

"That goes for you too, Messrs Crabbe and Goyle. I'm sure Mr Malfoy will be quite alright without you for a moment."

Crabbe and Goyle reluctantly followed Harry and Ron up the marble staircase and out of sight.

"Well...Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy. I've heard quite a lot about the two of you over the last few days."

Malfoy lounged against the banister. Hermione pointedly looked in the opposite direction.

Neither said a word.

McGonagall perused them for a moment. When it was clear she wasn't going to get a reply she pursed her lips.

"I must say that I'm very glad to see you getting along so excellently. It will be to your advantage."

Hermione frowned at her. "In what way, Professor?"

"Because, Miss Granger, you and Mr Malfoy have been chosen to represent your houses on the organisational committee for the Winter Ball…"


End file.
